Car-coupling



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W1' C'. ,CHAMBERLAIN- f GAR OUPLlNG.

ssneets-sneet-L 110.3765397; PatentedJan. 214,188.8.'

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No. 376,797. Patented Jan. 24,

(No Modl) l I A 3 Sheets-488881: 3..

' W. C. CHAMBBRLAIN. l GAR GoUPLING.' v- NQ- 376.79?.- Patented Jan, 24, 1888.

WITNESSES I 'f UNITED l 'y STATES PATENT EEIcE.

WILLIAM CARROLL CHAMBERLAIN, 0E CEDAR BLUFF, VIRGINIA.

oARy-couwPLplNc;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent' No, 376,797, dated January 24, 1888.

Application filed October 15, 1887. Serial No. 252.460. (No model.) v I To all whom z5 may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CARROLL CHAIVIRERLAIN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Cedar Bluff, in the State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact-description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appert-aius to make and use the same. y

This invention pertains to certain new and useful improvements in car-couplings,.having for its object the provision Aof simple and efficient means for coupling cars.

The invention consists in a sliding supporting-arm for holding the coupling-pin elevated, and for automatically lowering` or dropping said pin through the aperture in the link when the latter is forced into the draw-head, and means for rigidly securing the'sliding-pin frame in position; and the invention also coml prises simple and/efficient means for securing in the desired plane the draw-head of a car of positions. Fig..4 is a cross-sectional view on the line x x, Fig. 2. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail perspective views of the couplingpin ,and its supporting-arm. Fig. ,7 is a detail view of the clamp. Fig. 8 is a view of a modification thereof; and Fig. 9 is an end View of a car, showing the means for securing the draw-head in a lower plane."

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by the same letters of reference.

Referring to theI drawings, A represents the draw-head, provided, as usual, with the widened bumper end a, against the upper wall of which is secureda beveled block, a. This block is provided with two outwardly-projecting arms, a a, extending through slots or openings a3 a in the sides of the draw-head, the same being rigidly held in position by means of two simi-v larly-shaped blocks, a3 a3, through central apertures, in which extend the arms d", the same being secured therein by suitable pins, a* a4, passed therethrough. The rearmo'st ends of these securing-blocks a? extend into the unoccupied space of the slots or openings a2,

formed-a transverse slot or. opening, a, and a short distance therefrom, at right angles thereto, is a'lougitudinal slot or opening-c,

as shown. Y i

B is the vertically-.disposed sliding pin frame,composed of two corresponding upright bars havingguideways or grooves bb on their inner opposite faces, as shown, said bars being connected together `by a cross-piece, b', se

cured to thefouter front edges thereof. To'

these upright bars are secured lower righteangular arms, b b", provided at theirv centers with corresponding grooves. ofthe bars b3 bear against the endwalls of the slot or opening c5, as shown. y I

C is a clamp for securing theframe B to the upper outer surface of the draw-head, the upper hooked ends, b`l b2, of the vertical side bars, b3 b3, of'said clamp being designed to fit in the corresponding grooves `of .thearms b". The upper outer surfaces of these hooked ends b2 arev beveled rearwardly, as shown. The lower ends of these side bars, b3 b3, areprovided with '1 -shaped grooves or openings b* b", wherein fit the grooved ends of a horizontally-disposedI connecting-bar, b5, designed to pass under the y draw-head, as shown, said connecting-bar be-` The lower endsl ing provided with a central thickened/portion groovedon its uppernsurface. 5This clamp is p surface, to which is secured one end of a springplate, 116, and in the center of the under side of this key is formed a slot, wherein ispivot-Y allylsecured a tongue, If, provided with a' forward shouldered end, as shown. Within this slot is placed an ordinary -spIing-l'ilate, b", which has the tendency of forcing outwardly roo the tongue 127. The rear portion of this block clearing said groove the spring bis will force` the same downward, causing said shouldered portion to bear against the front edge of the connecting-bar b5, while the rear step-like end of said key bears against the rear edge of said bar, thus rmly securing the clamp in position. The side bars, b3, are prevented from moving by means of short lugs blo bm, projecting therefrom into corresponding aperturesiu the sides of the draw-head.

E is the sliding coupling-pin, secured at its upper end to its carrying-frame e, which is provided with two downwardly-projecting parallel arms, e' e', between which is the couplingpin. These arms e are designed to iit and slide in the grooves or guideways b b of the frame B. To the upper outer surface of this carrying-frame e is secured a short post, e,

for attaching thereto one end of an ordinary lever, e2, fulcrumed, as shown, to the front of the end wall of the car.

F is the coupling-pin supporting-arm provided with a forward approximately U -shaped frame,f, the outer arms of which are pivotally secured to the sides of a rearwardly-projecting portion of the frame e by means of a common bolt, f', as shown. The lower rear end of this arm is provided with a central groove, f, so as to permit the same to pass free of a lug or projection, f2, secured to the upper surface of the bottom of the draw-head.

G is the coupling-link, provided, as usual, with a longitudinal slot or opening, and each end of this link is extended, forming projec-` tions g g, the purpose of which will soon appear.

In practice, assuming the coupling-pin E to be elevated and so held by its supporting-arm F, which projects through the slot a'and occupies a plane parallel with the pin E, upon the projecting end g of the coupling-link ot the approaching car coming in contact with the lower wide end of the supporting-arm F the same will be forced rearward, causing thelowering of the coupling-pin and the arms e through the slot or opening a5, said pin passing through the opening in the link and an aperture in the bottom of the draw-head. rIhe rearward movement of the coupling-link is limited by reason of its contact with the lug or projection f2, at which time the pin has reached the full extent of its movement, and the arms of the U -shaped framejrest upon the beveled portion of the hooked ends b2 b2 of the clamp C. When it is desired to uncouple the cars, the same is readily eiiected by manipulating the operating-lever e2, causing the elevation of the coupling-pin, together with its supportingarm,which will hold it in position ready for the reception of another link.

In Fig. 9 I have shown means for securing the draw-head to a car `of greater height than the one to which it is to be coupled, the object of which is to make the two draw-heads occupy the same plan'e. It consists of a flat block, H, secured in a frame, h, attached to the under side of the car, and to this block the draw-head is attached by ordinary means, instead of directly to the under side of the car.

I do notrestrict myself to the employment lof the clamp C, constructed strictlyr after the form described, for, without departing from the spirit of my invention, I can employ the modification shown in Fig. 8, which consists in providing the side bars, b3, with lower boltlike ends, h', designed to project through corresponding apertures in the connecting'bar b5, and secured by ordinary nuts screwed thereon.

I claim as my inventionl. As an improvement in car-couplings of the class herein described, the frame rigidly secured by means of a clamp to the upper side of the draw-head and the sliding coupling pin secured therein, substantially as shown and described.

2. The frame rigidly secured to the drawhead, the sliding coupling-pin workingin said frame, and the supporting-arm for retaining said pin in an elevated position.

3. The combination, with the draw-head having a transverse slot or opening therein, ofthe vertical frame having grooves or guideways, the sliding coupling-pin, and the clampsecuring said frame, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination, with the draw-head, the vertical frame having rightangular arms, and the-coupling-pin, of the clamp having its upper hooked ends securing said arms, and the spring-key having a step-like end, and a spring-pressed tongue provided with a shouldered end, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination, with the draw-head having a slotted Lipper wall, of the vertical frame, the sliding coupling-piu, and the supporting-arm pivotally secured to the pin-carrying frame, substantially as shown and de scribed. A

6. The combination, with the draw-head, of the vertical frame having grooves or guideways, the coupling pin, the frame having downwardly-projecting parallel arms, the supporting-arm havinga U-shaped frame-like end pivoted to said pin-carrying frame, and the clamp securing said vertical frame, all constructed and arranged substantially as shown and described.

7. The combination, with the draw-head having slotted sides, of the beveled block provided with projecting arms and the securingblocks, arranged as shown and described.

In testimony whereof Iaiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM CARROLL CHAMBERLAIN.

WVitnesses:

RICHARD A. LIPFORD, HAMLET RErAss.

IOC) 

